Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-10
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1887.
PERSONAL RIGHTS AND RAILROAD
 PROFITS.

PROFITS.
 We printed last evening an abstract of the annual report of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, showing that corporation to be in highly prosperous condition. Although $672, 2,582 have been spent in the past year, principally in lay ing new tracks, dividend of 10 per cent. can be paid and there shall be cash assets amounting to $2,719,1 ,166. Here is a large margin for rimprovements-for the adoption of @ system leading to the greater accom- modation of the patronizing public, and protective of the lives, limbs and property of all who have perforce to use the grade crossings
 The New York Star seizes the publication of the annual report in opportunity for on slaught on the management. Our contem- porary says:-"The history of the New Ha- ven road in the past has been a long and unsavory record of mismanagement-for every one except the stockholders. Pos sessing the monopoly of traffic of great val ue, the officers of the company have always seemed to act on the principle that they owed no duties to the public. They have been threatened for years with parallel road, but instead of rendering it unneces- sary by improving their accommodations, they have contented themselves with throt- ting it in the Legislature, and, this accom- plished, they have gone back to their off ces to treat the public as shabbily as ever." These are hard words; and who will say that they are wholly undeserved But let us not be too sweeping in the endorsement. We are reminded that when Charles P. Clark became president he and his associ- tants wei,t to work to improve the road so that the public would have no ground for complaint; and their attitude now is to ask its patrons to give them time to make the needed Improvements, admitting that ma ny of the past strictures have been just. We are disposed to admit the justice of tions of reducing the promises of the Di- rectory to practice. We here in Water bury suffer from the Consolidated arrange ment. We are of opinion-and in the
 
 zens-that more frequent trains and closer connections would be desirable. We are not so unjust as to suggest that alterations should be made at positive loss to the company, or that other localities should be made to suffer as a consequence of our greater convenience But looking to the extent of our city-its growing population and increasing trade and commerce needs for intercommunication with New York and Boston and intermediate centres of industry-we do think that an experiment might be made; and we think, too, that the results, on the principle that supply creates demand would be found not unproftable to the Corporation.
 The abolition of grade crossings is a question of much importance in its general aspects and it's particular bearings. The protection of the public is involved at one side the prostration perhaps of railroad in ferests at the other. A great evil exists arising from original construction of roads and great injury might be done not only to Corporate interests, but to public convenience by insisting on wholesale immediate remedy. Grade crossings are to be abolished in twentytwo places in Con- necticut. When we shall know the where and the time we may have something to E-.on the particular point of railroad profit
 .u Nablic right